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County presents utilities master plan findings; wastewater plant, infiltration and staffing needs flagged
Summary
Seminole County staff and consultants presented a utilities master plan update Aug. 12 that identified reliability and capacity shortfalls at the Greenwood Lakes wastewater plant, significant infiltration-and-inflow in parts of the sewer system, aging water-plant equipment and a staffing shortfall; staff plans a draft CIP in November and a final master plan in December.
Seminole County presented a utilities master plan update Aug. 12 outlining condition assessments, capacity risks, and proposed capital and staffing needs over a 20-year planning horizon.
Johnny Edwards, utilities director, summarized recent asset assessments and said the Greenwood Lakes Water Reclamation Facility does not meet Florida Department of Environmental Protection Class 1 reliability standards for a reclaimed-water-capable plant. The county has applied for state revolving funds with partial forgiveness to help address key items and has included a request that would fund a 2-million-gallon equalization tank, new headworks and generator, and conveyance improvements. Edwards said the county requested $31.6 million in the SRF package to address those needs.
“...the results…indicates that the plant does not meet class 1 reliability standards,” Edwards said of Greenwood Lakes, adding that a third secondary clarifier and a replacement or rehabilitation of headworks are among needed improvements. Staff said peak storm events and infiltration-and-inflow (I&I) — groundwater and stormwater entering the sanitary system through leaks, joints and unpermitted connections — raise maximum daily flow to levels that can overwhelm the plant (one recorded maximum day exceeded rated capacity during Hurricane Milton).
The county’s I&I study installed 50 flow meters across about one-third of the gravity system and found significant seasonal increases in flows due to infiltration; consultants recommended targeted CCTV, smoke testing and a find-and-fix program and quantified linear feet of pipe for further investigation. Edwards told the board those investigations feed the CIP and the master plan.
Consultant Jacobs Engineering (Steve Riley) reported all four advanced water- and reclaimed-treatment facilities are in regulatory compliance but need rehabilitation and SCADA/control-system upgrades. Riley said combined R&R needs at the water treatment plants are roughly $46 million over the 20-year planning window and that the utilities department is understaffed by an estimated 20 positions overall and about six mechanics to meet predictive maintenance goals.
Board members asked for further detail on standards, interlocal wholesale agreements, capacity reservations to cities and historical planning documents; staff said they had reviewed prior engineering studies, will account for approved but unbuilt development, and will return with a draft CIP in November and final master plan in December.
No formal vote was required; the board requested follow-up on staffing, progress on SRF applications, and continued coordination on interlocal agreements and system capacity.
